100

One of the Greatest Games of the 90's, Now at your Fingertips

Sonic 3 and Knuckles is the last true 2D title in the Sonic the Hedgehog series on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Being the combination of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, this game offers two whole games of content, making one of those most epic platforming experiences of all time.
Sonic 3 & Knuckles builds upon the basic formula of Sonic, run and jump at fast speeds, get emeralds, and beat Dr. Robotnik. However, this game introduces several new features to spice up the experience. Elemental shields now litter the levels, offering Sonic plenty of new abilities such as the Lightning Shield's double jump. There's also a new character select option, allowing you to play as Tails and enjoy his flying ability or Knuckles with his gliding ability (both at the cost of no elemental shield abilities), offering new ways to play through the game.
Level design is fantastic as well, with every zone offering multiple routes through to the end, and each world having a unique look. Mushroom Hill Zone and Ice Cap Zone in particular were a blast with the mushroom platforms and snow mechanics. The music is spectacular as well with nearly every tune fun to listen to, whether it's the multiple Robotnik boss themes, the special zone theme, or just the regular level tunes. While not as clear as those in Sonic CD, Sonic 3 and Knuckles' soundtrack is very memorable.
The game is one of the finest game experiences you can have, offering hours of platforming fun, a good challenge, and multiple ways to play. It looks and sounds great, A lot of heart and effort went into this title and for the price, you're getting quite a lot. I can't recommend Sonic 3 and Knuckles higher, it's one of the best Sonic games if not the best. Try it today if you haven't, you won't be disappointed.

85

The best retro Sonic game ever

Whereas the first two games in the series perhaps feel a little dated now, Sonic 3 & Knuckles is still a fantastic game. This pushed the MegaDrive to it's limits, using two cartridges to jam as much content as possible into an epic adventure. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting a platformer to play, Sonic fan or not! Local co-op makes it even better.

96

A great classic

Sonic 3 and Knuckles is a great classic game that any fans of platforming games should own, it has everything a great Sonic game does, great music, great platforming and level design, with very diverse zones ranging from Mushroom Hill to Ice cap. The bosses are all fun and cool. The story is nothing spectacular, Sonic needs to get the chaos emeralds back to stop Dr. Eggman or Robotnik, but that's alright as this was a genesis game and the meat is in the gameplay. Whether you grew up on this game or just recently found it this is a very good game that any gamer should play.

95

Classic Platform Game

Sonic 3 and Knuckles is a vast improvement upon sonic 1 and 2. The levels are better and the cut scenes make transitions to zones clear- for example angel island to hydro city. The added effects are also great, such as fire effects in the background on angel island. The addition of Knuckles also adds a layer to the game: he plays the game from a different perspective from sonic and tails and thus plot points and some level designs are different. The mini- games are also great and varied such as collecting items from a gum ball machine. The stand -out feature for me in this game however, is the music, just like in previous Sonic games. There are so many great tracks in this game such as angel island, flying battery and sandropolis zones to name a few. All in all, you can’t go wrong with this game. The levels are great and varied with many obstacles, the boss fights are fun and the music is superb. For me, this is the pinnacle of the series and should not be missed by any platforming fan.

88

2 great games

This was originally 2 separate games on the Genesis and the Knuckles cart had a slot on top for the Sonic 3 cart to connect. This let you play as Knuckles in the previously released Sonic 3. Essentially you are getting 2 full games with 3 characters each. You can take different paths depending on who you play as so there is some extra variety. Overall these are very fun games and show why people still want Sonic games.

91

Great Classic

Sonic 3 and Knuckles is one of the best game dedicated to Sonic. The game is similar to the other titles and it's a platform where the key is to reach the end of the level at high speed. In this title there are some elements that adds variety to the usual gameplay: the most important is the presence of a different playable character, Knuckles, that has a gameplay slightly different from Sonic, in particular due to the gliding ability. An other element that add more variety is the presence of many different power up that gives particular abilities to Sonic.
This game is one of the best Sonic titles also because there are many amazing boss fights

100

Awesome third game!

While I do prefer the "cleaner" graphical look of Sonic 2, Sonic 3 adds more variety in level design from the very first stage. There are many more events that occur throughout the levels than in the previous two games, such as the water currents in Hydrocity Zone which push you while you try to hold on to a pole.
The music is awesomely catchy and will stay in your head for days! You can now also play as Knuckles which provides some added content, but Sonic is still the best character to control in my opinion.
A fantastic Sonic game, and very refreshing to play a classic 2D game considering how many mediocre 3D game attempts have been made in recent years on newer platforms. A must have for platformer fans.

88

Two modes of difficulty

While Knuckles adds a gliding feature to use in levels, he doesn't perform as well as Sonic. The stages need extra thought to proceed with his limitations and bosses are significantly different. Having his game finish so close at the end was a bit disappointing, but the game is named after Sonic. The new features keep up with the changing times so the game is still top notch.

84

Great Sonic Game!

Great game that does not disappoint, just like the previous in the series. It follows the same concept and is very easy to get into while still providing a decent challenge and loads of fun. If you are a fan of the series or are new to the series you should definitely check this one out!

80

Most improved sequel

Simply fantastic game to play through. Knuckles was also a fantastic enemy to toy with. This game is definitely worth purchasing if you are a fan of the series. Graphics in this game are phenomenal compared to Sonic 2 etc. Solid 8/10

70

One of the best classic platforms!

Sonic 3 is the best chapter of the Sonic's series, the last whit bidimensional graphic and one of the greatest old style platforms (one of the others is Super Mario World), released just few years before the coming of 3d graphic.
You can choose different characters (Sonic, Tails of Knuckles) whit a little variation in gameplay, but the action is still quick and dynamic like the other Sonic games. The levels are funny and various, you can find a lot of platforms elements: jumping pods, secrets (the giant rings lead you into special areas where you can get the emeralds), power up etc.
In the final levels it can be hard, you had to be quick to win! For the players who want to revive the good old arcade atmosphere.

94

For running you must be cunning...

I can never get bored with sonic games, it seems the older they are, the better the game. Although it seems easy, this game has some hard parts in it, which keep the tension going, and make you feel awesome once you've managed to complete this game.
I'd say this sonic game is a must-buy.